


We Who Remain

by TheRealAndian



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Feels, Gen, Genocide happened, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-02
Updated: 2016-06-14
Packaged: 2018-06-05 20:35:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6722398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRealAndian/pseuds/TheRealAndian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Life during the infamous Genocide Run from various recurring characters. This whole mess starts after the death of Undyne and changes perspectives during each segment.<br/>OBVIOUS SPOILER ARE OBVIOUS!!! Don't read unless you've played the game...or do...it's a free internet...but those that ignore the spoiler wanting may have a bad time.<br/>Just saiyan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Alphys

**Author's Note:**

> I have finally given in to the urge to write UT fanfiction. Not sure how long this'll go, but hopefully people like it possibly maybe...?  
> Ok I'll shut up and let you read the angst and feels....

"I'm sorry," he said, his eyes dark with pain, "I know you loved her."

My throat constricted tightly, choking me with another sob. "I-it's n-not...your f-fault...," I managed before breaking down again. _Why? Why her? Why did she have to die?_ Hot tears dripped down my face. _"This world will live on!"_ she'd cried. But what was the point in living without her?

A bony hand pressed down on my shoulder. I looked up into Sans' cold, dead eyes. Sometimes, with all the death around us, it was hard to remember that he had lost the one person he really cared about. I stared back at the floor, the tears rolling off my snout. I'd watched Papyrus die, too. I'd watched them all. Friends, family, brothers, sisters, lovers. Everyone I had ever known, and everyone I wish I'd known. No one could stand up to the human...or whatever they are.

"Alphys," he said, barely more than a whisper, "stop beating yourself up over it. You're doing everything you can to save who's left."

"W-what's the point?" I asked. "If...if _she_ couldn't win, then...no one will." I pulled my gaze back up to him. "It's only a matter of time."

Something sparked deep in his gaze. As to what, I'm not sure, but it almost seemed...dangerous. If I hadn't been so upset, I probably would have asked him.

A dog started howling in one of the other rooms. I sighed and wiped my tears away. I didn't have time to properly grieve, I had to take care of everyone who was left. The pathetically small everyone-who-was-left. I turned to apologize to Sans, but he was already gone. He did that sometimes: he'd talk a bit, and then disappear.

I figured it was best not to go after him, and stepped into the room where the howling had come from, instead, prepared to calm down the dog amalgamate. "Hey, g-guys, you need to...to quiet d-" I stopped. Before me sat a small, puffy white dog, wagging its tail excitedly. It gave me a happy bark and started running around me in circles.

"Well if it isn't the annoying dog," I heard from behind. A bone flew past my head, and the little creature chased after it, yipping. Evidently, Sans had followed me after all. I turned and stared at him. He really was an interesting guy. Very unpredictable. I was almost certain there was more to him than meets the eye.

"What?" he asked, smirking. "You trying to read me? I'm pretty open, ya know. Right down to my bare bones." I let out a snort. Leave it to Sans to make bad puns at a time like this. He chuckled, then suddenly darkened again. I knew he was thinking of Papyrus; how he would've reacted to the joke.

"Good to know the dog's survived, at least," he muttered, bending down to pat the small creature on the head as it returned, proudly carrying the bone in its jaws. After a moment, Sans glanced back up at me. "I, uh...know this is kinda sudden and all, but I'm gonna have to leave here pretty soon."

I blinked in surprise. He was right; it was sudden. It was not at all what I was expecting. "Uh...w-why?"

"Well...let's just say I've got a job to do."

I felt my eyes widen in shock. "S-Sans you can't! You can't l-leave!" I stopped, glancing around to make sure no one else was around. "You...you'll _die!_ " I whispered.

He looked sad. "I know. But someone's gotta try."

"Undyne already did, and she's...she's _gone!_ " I choked. Sans? Fighting? There was no way I could let him throw his life away like that. "What...what would Papyrus have wanted?"

Sans froze. He just... _stared_ at me. I'd hit a nerve. "Ohmigoshsansididntmeanitthatwayimsosorryi-" He held up his hand to stop me.

"Listen Al, you wanna know what Papyrus would've wanted? He would've wanted me to not give up hope. To keep believing in a better future, even if...even if it's without him," he said, his voice cracking. He looked so distressed that I wanted to reach out and give him a hug, but I wasn't faring much better.

"Truthfully, though," he continued, "I gave up a long time ago. There's no point in hoping when you know...what I know...." He took a deep breath. "Let's just say that I've been doing a little research of my own, and...well...I've got some pretty solid proof that timelines have been stopping, starting, resetting...just...all over the place." I wasn't sure what to say as he continued. "It started out simple, ya know? I started noticing little details that felt really familiar. Just that feeling of 'haven't I done this before?' and it just progressed from there. It's kinda hard to explain, but every time that brat gets killed or past Asgore, we all start over from a certain point with absolutely not memory of what had happened. To be completely honest, I'm pretty sure we've had this conversation about three times."

I stared at him in silent awe. Here was Sans, _Sans,_ telling me that he had done research. I mean, the thought of Sans doing much of anything was pretty impressive, itself, but research? On timelines? I was speechless. And he looked so serious, too.

"Sorry, Al," he said, "but this is how it has to go."

I pleaded with my eyes, but I knew there was no convincing him. Once he put his mind to something, he stuck with it unless there was no alternative. Like being lazy, for example. In this case, he was set on stopping the human...no, _whatever_ they are, in order to save the rest of us.

"Sans...," I called as he turned to leave. He stopped. "J-just be careful...p-please?"

He sighed, his shoulders drooping. "I will," he said. "I can't afford _not_ to care anymore." He trudged out silently, dragging his slippered feet on the cold ground, and leaving me there. Alone again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Crying yet? No? Well this is gonna get more dark and fast so uh...maybe don't continue if you can't handle the feels....


	2. Monster Kid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Monster Kid's perspective on the genocide around them...  
> Poor kid  
> His hero just got murdered

I went over it in my head again and again. _They told me to turn around, I did, they...they tried to kill me, and then...Undyne saved me._ She'd been so cool; my hero. Now she was dead. The human cut through her like she was nothing...with a shoe, no less. So not cool.

I sat hunched over on the cold floor. Dr. Alphys had done her best to comfort me, but she was really upset, so it hadn't really helped. No one had heard from my parents, either. I didn't even know if they were still alive.

I let out a sigh. How could I have been so _stupid?_ Everyone else had evacuated, and I hadn't thought twice about it. Obviously it had been for a reason! Now, because of me, Undyne was dead. _Why did she have to do that? Why couldn't she have just let me die? It's not like I'm as cool or strong or brave as she was. I'm just some loser kid that got the toughest monster in the underground killed!_

If I could've cried, I would've, but I'd already cried all the tears that I could. _Stupid, stupid, stupid kid._

"She did it because it was the right thing to do," said someone off to my left. I looked up slowly, blinking my dried-out eyes. "She knew the risk, and probably that she was going to get killed, but she did it to save you." Sans the skeleton sentry from back home stared at me from the door, leaning on the frame and looking as lazy as usual. "Don't let her sacrifice have been for nothing."

I dropped my gaze. "Yo...i-it should've been me. I-if I had been smarter...if I hadn't gotten in the way...she...she'd still be alive...."

"Listen, kid," replied the skeleton, pushing off the frame and walking towards me, "I knew Undyne a lot better than most people. Even if you hadn't gotten involved, she would have. And she probably would have died anyway because that brat is relentless." He sounded really hurt and upset. His eyesockets were completely dark as he sat down next to me. It was kinda spooky.

"B-but...yo, she was so strong! How did they k-...how did they kill her so easy?"

"Through their sheer determination to," he replied grimly. He sighed. "Look, kid, we've _all_ lost someone. But...in the end, we gotta move on."

"Who...who did you lose?"

I felt him tense beside me. Maybe that was a bad question. "My brother." He paused, then looked off as if he were seeing it happen again. "All he did was show them mercy, and they cut through him like he was nothing. But that's not true...he was just...too pure for this world...." He took a shaky breath. Not sure why. It's not like he has lungs. "Just...don't beat yourself up over it, okay? There's nothing you could've done."

He got to his feet. "Just hang in there. This'll all be over soon." He scowled. "One way or another."

He turned to leave. "W-wait!" I called, struggling to stand. Hard to do without arms. "W-what do you mean?"

"Trust me, kid. In a bit, it won't matter anymore." He was walking out the door.

"W-what?" No answer. "Yo! Wait! D-don't leave!" I ran after him. "P-please?" He was nowhere in sight.

I stood there for a while, hoping he would come back and explain what he meant, but he never came. Nobody came. So I went back to where I'd been sitting and plopped down.

Alone again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter, I know, but the next is a bit longer...I think...I didn't actually count out chapter words or anything for once...  
> I should probably do that.


	3. Mettaton

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A much longer chapter than last week...  
> Now with more Mettaton!

They hurt Blooky. _They hurt Blooky!_ Granted, Blooky had just lowered their HP to appease the heartless freak, but they made them cry when they killed our cousins. And everyone else. _Oh, I hope everyone's okay...._ Of course, they _wouldn't_ be. Almost everyone was dead, and everyone else was down in Alphys' lab with those disgusting Amalgamates. _Amalgamates with families who are dead._ Even as disturbing as they were, they still had feelings. Hopefully no one told that dog creature, though. That would probably be bad.

 _You are the last line of defense, Mettaton. Only you can stop them._ I didn't really like the sound of that. Hopefully the mercenaries in the CORE could keep them busy long enough for me to regain my confidence. If it had been up to me, I wouldn't even be here, standing between the freak and the elevator to the castle. Come to think of it, it probably would've been a good idea to sabotage that one, too. _Too late, now._

The sound of footsteps approached slowly.

They carried an old gun in their hand, and wore a cowboy hat on their head. They were completely covered in dust. Not just covered, _coated._ It was like they'd rolled in the dust after murdering whomever it belonged to...several times. _Disgusting._ I could feel my body shaking. They could probably hear it. This wasn't good. _Okay, Mettaton. Showtime._

"My my. So you've finally arrived," I said, making my best effort to keep my voice steady. "After our first meeting...I realized...something ghastly. You're not just a threat to monsters...but humanity, as well." I chuckled. "Oh my. That's an issue. You see, I can't be a star without an audience. And besides...there are some people...I want to protect." _Why would you say that? WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT???_ Something gleamed in their eyes and they smiled. They took a step forward, holding the gun in front of them. Oddly, I might add, as if they were going to bludgeon me with it, rather than shooting me. _That would be a stupid way to go. At least let me go down in glory!_ That is, if I _went_ down. I had no intentions of doing so. "Ah ha ha. Eager, as always, eh? But don't touch that dial. There's something you haven't accounted for," I said. Had I had a mouth, I would've probably given a delicious smile here. "As any true fan would know, I was first created as a human eradication robot. It was only after becoming a star that I was given a more...photogenic body. However. Those original functions have never been fully removed. Come any closer, and I'll be forced to show you...my true form!" They took a step closer, still smiling, almost as if they knew exactly what was coming next. I let out a mechanical sigh. I hoped my emotions weren't showing too much. Even with a faceless robotic body, it was totally possible. I didn't want anyone to know just how scared I really was. "Fine then!" I called."Rrrrready?" _Sorry, Blooky._ "Iiiiiiit's showtime!!!"

Mechanical whirring filled the room. Gears were turning, wires were sparking, weapons were activating as my form shifted. For the first time in my existence, I felt unprepared. _I'm going to die, aren't I?_

I looked out at the freak. They were still smiling at me as I revealed my true form; my NEO form. I'm sure I looked fantastic, but I was a bit too scared to care. If they killed me, then that was it. They would be free to walk right up to Asgore and murder the poor old goat man before exiting the barrier and taking their murder spree to the humans.

That was something that I simply could not allow.

They appeared to be sizing me up. I silently hoped they would be too intimidated and back down, but that smile stayed ever-present on their face. _Maybe you should try actually ATTACKING, Mettaton,_ I coaxed myself. _Stop standing around and waiting for them to kill you._

I aimed my hand cannon. The freak watched in silent...was that amusement? Furious, I shot off a blast, aimed straight for their chest...or I thought I did. The cannon didn't fire. I glanced down at it. The words "NO AMMO LOADED" flashed in the corner of my vision. If I'd had a proper heart, it would have been pounding at that moment. The freak let out a small giggle. A quiet, child-like giggle.

 _Okay. So no cannons. That's okay. You can do this. You can't give up now._ I swung my arms out, thinking that I could just hit them a few times. After all, metal is heavy, and probably not that fun to get hit by. Unfortunately, my arms didn't move. More words flashed in my vision. "LOW BATTERY: SHUTTING DOWN LESSER FUNCTIONS." A list started scrolling up, among the "lesser functions" were my arms and legs. _Had it been my EX form, my limbs would've just fallen off,_ I thought with amusement. It didn't matter. I was completely stuck.

The freak seemed to be bored of watching my defense crumble. They took their gun and aimed it at my head, then leaped forward hit me right in my beautiful face.

And oh, how it hurt.

Pain that I didn't even know I could feel shook me down to my very soul, rattling around in my body like a bucket in a hailstorm. My vision was filled with warnings, errors, and flashing, red lights. I felt myself drop to my knees, but I no longer had control over much of anything. Still, I looked up and that...that horrible creature from hell. They were still smiling at me. "Gh...guess you don't want to join my fan club...?" I sputtered. They giggled again. The critical warnings continued to flash, and everything felt hot. I could see my body smoking and starting catch fire. I closed my eyes for the last time. _I'm sorry, Blooky. I'm so sorry._

That was my last thought before my body combusted and I left the cruel world and everyone in it alone again.


	4. Flowey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly out of chronological order, but I wanted to do Sans as the last perspective. (Also I haven't finished writing that one....)  
> So yeah, have Flowey freaking out, instead.  
> If you'll excuse me, I have to go and look up his attacks again...

What was this? This was new. Unfamiliar. Yet, somehow, I recognized it. _Fear._ My form quivered with it, and no matter what I tried, I couldn't make it stop. This feeling was more potent than even the frustration of dying all those times to that stupid Smiley Trashbag. _Oh gee, maybe he'll show up and stop Chara. That would be nice, please and thank you and all that._

Golly, it sure had been a while since I'd felt anything.

Chara's disturbing smile was already haunting me, and it'd only been about two seconds since I'd fled. _C'mon, Flowey, get a hold of yourself,_ I soothed. _This is what you wanted, right? Some sort of feeling?_ I just didn't want fear. Fear was...well...I didn't feel like describing it.

I was positioned in a sea of yellow. The cloying scent of Golden Flowers filled the air. Disgusting. Someone was humming nearby, their deep, throaty voice echoing through the lofty room. Birds were chirping as they fluttered on ceiling rafters. The sprinkle of water on flora was behind me. In front of me was a throne of gilded gold and purple cushions. It really was a beautiful place.

I turned around slowly. King Asgore was merrily watering the flowers, completely oblivious to the mass chaos and destruction outside of his oasis of a throne room. He looked up in surprise at my movement. Then there was the face of confusion and yada yada yada. I've interacted with him enough times to know exactly what he will do.

Every time. He does the exact.  
Same.  
Thing.

"Well howdy there, little flower! I have not seen you before!"

"What the hell are you doing?!" I screamed, my petals trembling uncontrollably He should have absorbed the souls a long time ago.

Asgore seemed taken aback. "Why, I am watering the flowers. Why do you ask?" Somehow, it always managed to impress me when he didn't act surprised that I was a talking flower.

"You _idiot!!_ " Something wet dripped down my face onto the ground. "Why aren't you absorbing the souls!? Everyone is dead! It's only a matter of time before-" My fear overtook everything else, and more wetness splashed onto the ground. _Am I...crying...?_

Asgore's face turned grave. "Dear flower, you need not cry," he said, reaching out to me. I jerked away.

"Don't you get it?? Everyone's dead, and _you're next!!_ "

The idiot finally looked rattled. "Are you sure? I am certain that not _everyone_ could be dead," he glanced to the side, seeming uncomfortable. "Are you sure that you sure that you did not just have a bad dream?"

I gaped at him. "Seriously? Are you stupid?! Doctor Alphys _called you!_ She told you to absorb the souls when _Undyne_ was killed! That was _hours_ ago! Now even that ridiculous glambot is dead!"

"Undyne is not dead, nor is Mettaton. If they were, someone in the guard would have told me," he replied calmly.

" _THERE'S NOBODY LEFT!!!_ " How could anyone be this stupid? Is it because he's a lonely old man who lost everything he ever loved? Pathetic.

And it was going to get us both killed.

I sobbed in terror. I didn't want to die. I wanted Chara and I to be best friends, just like old times. I wanted to be able to reset again. _I wanted to go home._

I jumped at the sound of slow, measured steps outside. I couldn't stay here if I wanted to live. I couldn't let Chara know that I had betrayed them. I ducked out of sight, praying that they hadn't seen me. It was too late to go and find the souls so I could at least stand some sort of chance, and I certainly couldn't escape.

Asgore had turned to listen as well, and must have thought that I disappeared. "Curious...," he mused. "I've never seen a plant...cry before...."

Chara smiled knowingly from the doorway, dust and blood-covered knife in hand. Wait...blood? Most monsters in the general area didn't bleed, -- I knew that better than anyone -- but this looked fresh. A sharp, tangy scent hit my...nostrils...? I mean, I don't really have a nose.... Despite that, I knew that it wasn't the smell of blood. What _was_ that? _Ketchup,_ I thought. I guess Trashbag didn't really do much good, though I can't help but wonder how many resets it took them to beat him. Even then, they looked pretty beat up...and angry. _Oh golly...please just ignore my existence._ The shaking was stronger than ever.

Asgore must have sensed that he was being watched. He turned and stared Chara in the eyes. Clearly he didn't recognize them. "Huh?" he questioned. "Oh, you must be the one that flower just warned me about," he said, gesturing to where I was cowering. I could feel Chara's evil gaze on me.

I stayed silent as Chara approached Asgore to add him to their list of victims. I was so scared...it'd been a long time since I'd felt much of anything, but this was...so strong.

Why couldn't they just leave? Why wouldn't they stop? Why were they even doing this? Why couldn't they just leave me alone again?


	5. Sans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took longer than I expected it would but...I needed to make it hurt...a lot...for Sans' sake....
> 
> Feels warning.  
> You think the others were tough? You're screwed with this one.

"Do you wanna have a bad time?" I growled, my hands clenching into fists. _Patience, Sans. Patience is key._ "Cause if you take another step forward...," I paused and chuckled sadistically, "you are _really_ not going to like what happens next." That brat. That freak. That...that _dirty brother killer_ stepped forward anyway, smiling cruelly. _So much for subtle threats. But then, they probably think don't think I'll pose much of a problem, don't they?_

"Welp," I sighed, "sorry old lady. This is why I never make promises." I felt my magic expand inside my body, prepared to unleash a brutal attack. _Hold on. Patience. You have to pace yourself. That's the only way you'll get anywhere with this._ It died down slightly.

I smiled in thought. It was time to pay them back for everything they had done. "It's a beautiful day outside," I mused. "Birds are singing, flowers are blooming." The birds chirped in agreement. "On days like these, kids like you." I closed my eyes and let my magic flow stronger. When I opened them again, my eyes were dark. "Should be burning in hell."

Without giving them a second to react, I unleashed my whirlwind of magic, slamming them down to the ground. Bones sprung from the floor. They jumped just a tad too late...or...I thought they had. Had they? Suddenly they were fine. Looking pretty angry, too. I guess I must've been doing my job right.

I released my magic grip on their soul and released a double wave of bones. They jumped, far higher than they should have been able to, right into the bones jutting from the ceil- nope. Right in the middle, cartwheeling over the bottom set and not touching the top, as if they'd done this a million times before. They probably had. I launched my ultimate weapons. The Gaster Blasters. They looked panicked or...no they didn't. Just determined. They jumped right between the blasts. I fired again, this time at a different angle. They ducked just in time.

Despite having killed nearly everyone I cared about, I had to admire their tenacity. Me? I would've given up a long time ago. Well. I guess I already did, but still. I launched another set of blasters the same way as the first time. They seemed to know it was coming. I summoned the biggest ones I could muster and fired. They were vaporized on the sp- nope. They had ducked at the last second, breathing heavily. They were so determined, their eyes glowed as red as their soul. Hate rolled off of them in waves. I chuckled. "Huh. Always wondered why people never use their strongest attack first."

They stared me down, glaring and grinning maniacally at the same time. An impressive feat, I gotta admit, but then, I was doing something similar, wasn't I? They stood very still. I'd seen them do this before, like they were building up something. Strength. Power. Whatever. It didn't matter. Suddenly, they lunged, swinging their knife like the maniac they are, but I was ready. I jumped to the side. Please. I'm not stupid. I knew they only lunged in a straight line. Dunno why. They were annoyingly predictable like that.

At first, they looked surprised that I wasn't crumbling into dust, but then their faced shifted, now more of the angry, determined looked. Sorta like TV static. I'd bet if I were in my workshop monitoring right now, signs would indicate that the anomaly had caused a sort of _reset_ to the timeline. I wonder how many times that had happened in the space of the last minute.

"What?" I asked. "You think I'm just gonna stand there and take it?" I launched a barrage of bones. With luck, they'd be too busy trying to dodge the top wave that they'd trip on the bottom row. No such luck, though. They jumped, driven by some unseen rhythm. They seemed to be singing. Weirdo. The tune was pretty catchy, though.

This time they were much faster about lunging towards me. Didn't matter. I jumped to the side again. They seemed frustrated.

I put on my "Weatherman Sans" voice, as the patrons of Grillby's had dubbed it. "Our reports showed a massive anomaly in the timespace continuum." The brat cocked their head in confusion. "Timelines jumping left and right, stopping and starting...," I elaborated. They seemed to understand that a little better. I threw a blue/white hybrid attack at them in response, similar to one that would have been used by...

I felt my left eye smoldering with the power of my magic. This freak was going to pay for what they'd done. _Not yet, Sans. Patience. You can't go all out yet._ My power simmered below the surface, but I kept a lid on it. Gotta let it start boiling before I start cooking.

Papyrus had told me something like that, once.  
Now he never would again.

I kept up my attacks in renewed anger, holding the demon-spawn back and probably killing them several times. _Not that I'd remember,_ I thought bitterly. _Brat resets the timeline every time they fail._

_So why even keep trying? You can't win. Just give up._

I beat that thought down as soon as it came up. "All I know is," I said between attacks, more to myself than the freak show in front of me, "seeing what comes next...I can't afford not to care anymore."

And oh, had I seen.

While monitoring the timeline, I'd noticed something strange. Sure, it kept stopping, restarting, changing, and all that jazz, but I'd noticed that at one point not far from now, it all just _stopped._ No reset, no jump, skip, hop, whatever. Just...nothing.

That scared me.

"Ugh," I groaned. This whole thing was really wearing me down. Maybe I really _should_ have tried to stay in shape. "That being said...." I paused a moment and wiped my forehead. My hand came back warm and sticky, covered in a white goop. I must've looked worse than normal. My determination must've been way above the "safe" level.

The kid stood there silently, waiting. Hopefully they were just curious as to what I was gonna say. I recomposed myself. "You really like swinging that thing around, huh?" I asked, gesturing at the knife they were holding. I sighed. I really didn't want to do this, but if there was _any_ chance of the kid resetting; of bringing them all back, I had to take it. "Listen, I know you didn't answer me before, but....

"Somewhere in there. I can feel it. There's a glimmer of a good person inside of you. The memory of someone who once wanted to do the right thing. Someone who, in another time, might have even been...a friend?" Tears prickled at the bottom of my eyesockets. "C'mon buddy, don't you remember me?" Their smile wavered just for a moment. It was almost like I was seeing someone else for a split second there. A tortured soul who never wanted any of this, either. But then it was gone. Had I even seen it to begin with? "Please," I begged, "if you're listening...let's forget all of this, ok? Just lay down your weapon, and...well, my job will be a lot easier." 

I could sense their hesitation. They really wanted to accept the offer of mercy, I could tell, but something was holding them back. They reached into their pocket for something. I was almost scared as to what. They started pulling and...what? They pulled an entire Steak in the Shape of Mettaton's Face out of their pocket? And here, I thought _I_ could warp the space around me to my will. Guess I'm not the only one. Then they just shoved the entire thing into their mouth! How was that even possible?

They suddenly lunged forward, swinging violently. I jumped out of the way just in time. I guess it was just wishful thinking. Oh well. No such threads of potential mercy tied me down now. I gave it my all. Teleporting, Blasters, throwing them around the room, not even giving them the proper chance to prepare to attack. All while keeping up a one-sided conversation. They fought dirty? So could I. There were more than a couple times where the world around me did that sort of stuttering where I must've landed a good, solid hit on them.

Honestly though, I was getting pretty tired. I still couldn't give up though. If I gave up, it'd all mean nothing. I couldn't give up. My friend in the Ruins, Undyne, Mettaton, everyone that had stood up to this freak, _Papyrus_...I couldn't let Papyrus' death be pointless. I couldn't give up. Alphys and everyone else hiding in her lab were counting on me. I was the last line of defense. _I couldn't give up!_

I told the demon that if they kept it up, I'd have to use my special attack. Recognition flashed in their eyes. I guess I was right; they _had_ fought my brother in a better time. Maybe even let him live. Maybe...maybe they'd saved us all once. It seemed like in the corner of my mind, I could remember a shadow of who they'd been before, what they'd done. Befriending everyone, saving us all...because they grew to _care_ about us.

Heh.  
Guess I should've known they'd get bored.  
Just like the flower.

Come to think of it, I couldn't help but wonder where it was. Maybe it'd finally realized just how horrible it was when everyone died. Maybe it'd finally rooted itself in reality.  
Heh. At any other moment, that wouldn't been funny.  
But not now.  
Not when I had a job to do.

The brat kept fighting. I kept dodging. They seemed to have already memorized every attack I threw at them. "Well," I said, "here goes nothing." My magic courses through the air. This was it. The final stretch. "Are you ready?" They giggled softly in anticipation. How disturbing. "Survive _this_ and I'll show you my special attack!" I threw them to the ground, raising bones from it. Then to the wall. The ceiling. I threw them past myself, changing the gravity on their soul to go to the far wall. They dodged almost every bone on the way there, jumping as soon as their feet hit something solid.

This was getting ridiculous and frustrating but...I couldn't quit now. I had to get them to do that. I teleported them randomly around the hall, raising bones at random.  
They dodged every one.

This wasn't looking good. If this kept up much longer, I was going to have a serious melting problem on my hands...and the rest of me, for that matter. Not something I wanted at all. Fortunately, or maybe _un_ fortunately, I was pretty spent. Still. I gave all that I had left to make them stop. To _give up_.

Blasters circled them, firing rapidly, every one fueled with my rage and hatred for this soulless husk of what used to be human. What used to be a _friend_. The world skipped. I must've gotten them at some point. Not that it really mattered. They could just come back. Maybe in another timeline, I could try injecting myself with some extra determination. I mean, I was kind of already melting anyway, but if I could surpass their determination by even their slightest margin, I might be able to save everyone. Sure, I would probably completely melt immediately, but it'd be a chance...right?

Heh. Yeah right. I knew better than that. I wouldn't _get_ another shot at this. Not if the timeline really did end.

The blasters were all spent. I did the last thing I could think of. Around the room they flew. Wall to ceiling to floor to pillar to wall to wherever I could find a hard surface to throw them against. My eye was flashing with the need for justice coursing through and around me.

For the lady and everyone else in the Ruins. _Bam!_ For all of my friends in Snowdin. _Bam!_ For the naïve little monster kid who'd tried to be friends with this maniac. _Bam!_ For the innocents who hadn't done a damn thing wrong. _Bam!_ For the brave ones who'd stood up and said "No!" to this insanity. _Bam!_ For the lives we'd had on the Surface before it was all reset. _Bam!_ For Mettaton. _Bam!_ For Undyne. _Bam!_ For Alphys. _Bam!_ For King Asgore. _Bam!_ For everyone's hopes. _Bam!_ For everyone's dreams. _Bam!_ For _Papyrus._

Around and around I threw them, tears practically blinding me. They poured down my face, mixing with the melted bone from the sheer amount of determination I had to just _make this stop._

_JUST DIE ALREADY!!!_

But it didn't matter.

I was actually panting from my exhaustion as they dropped down to the floor. What a workout. Somehow, I managed to stay upright, though I could feel myself drunkenly swaying back and forth. This was definitely not my finest moment. At least they appeared to have dropped their knife during all of that. It was sitting by my foot. "All right. That's it. It's time for my special attack." The freak stared excitedly at me. Clearly they'd been trying to get to this point for some time. Hated to disappoint, but well...I really had nothing planned here. I'd honestly figured they'd have given up by now.

Oh well. I improvise all the time; it's why I'm a good comedian. "Here goes nothing." And "nothing," it was. They tensed, clearly bracing for some kind of attack. I just threw a barrier up between us with the last of my magic. Wow, I was tired. Confusion flashed through their eyes. This was not what they'd been expecting. They sent me a look that demanded an explanation. They were so baffled, it was actually somewhat amusing. "Yep," I chuckled. "That's right. It's literally nothing. And it's not going to be anything, either."

Oh the _anger_ that radiated off them. It was somewhat refreshing. I'd made them mad. Good. Serves them right. But it...didn't really help my exhaustion. At all. It actually kinda made me _more_ tired, if that was even possible. I hadn't felt this awful in a long time.

I kept talking. The more I talked, the less likely I'd be to pass out on my feet...which would be really bad for obvious reasons. But even then, I couldn't hold back the crushing hopelessness of this situation. I couldn't do this forever. My determination was the only thing keeping that barrier up. But...I couldn't give up now...maybe just...a short nap....

Yeah.  
That sounds nice.

My eyesockets began to drop before I could even think about it. I struggled to stay awake. I really did. But it didn't matter. Nothing I ever did mattered.

_It'll just be a quick snooze. Nothing more._

My eyes closed more.

_Just regain some strength and then you'll be able to keep going._

The demon glared at me from the wall of bones separating us.

_Besides, you can only delay the inevitable for so long._

I didn't want to think about that.

_If you just give up, you can see Papyrus again._

My soul ached. He was too sweet and innocent to even understand what was happening before it was too late.

_Just give up. You always do. It's all you're good for._

I missed them. So much. I just...wanted this pain to be over. To let go. To see them again.

My eyes closed fully. I knew what was coming. But...I was numb. I felt no pain. I felt no fear. I was just...so tired.  
Tired of trying.  
Tired of fighting what I can't beat.  
Tired of missing everyone I ever cared about.  
Tired of worrying about what would happen this time.  
Just...

So tired.

_Sorry, Alphys...guess I'm leaving you guys alone again._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: the "singing" done by our lovely megalomaniac was based on what I was doing during that attack. I was literally singing Megalovania and jumping to the beat.
> 
> Also just realized that the whole "Alone again" thing I've been putting at the end of every chapter is what Burgerpants says when you leave during the genocide run...how ironic. A shame I'm not doing a chapter with him....


	6. Those Who Remain

Alphys called everyone together in the bedroom. The children sat somberly on the beds, not entirely oblivious to the situation. The innkeeper bunny and her sister was doing her best to keep the younger ones from crying. The monster kid who had almost died at the bridge to Hotlands was silent, and his eyes were dull with sadness.

All around the atmosphere was very heavy. They all knew what the meeting meant.

Alphys tapped her claws nervously. She didn't want to do this. The tapping caused Endogeny to come to her, nuzzling her shoulder. Even the dogs it was comprised of understood the gravity of the situation. Alphys was surprised when no one reacted too badly to the sight of the shambling amalgamates in her lab. But, judging by all the horrors everyone had seen in the past few days, the creatures didn't really seem to be the worst of their problems.

She took a deep breath. She could do this.

"Um...h-hi everyone," she half whispered, half choked. Endogeny howled for silence, not that everything hadn't already seemed muted. Alphys coughed. "I know you're all scared, but...once the h-human gets past Asgore...," she paused, knowing exactly what that implied, "th-they should leave the Underground. For good." She paused again, shivering. "W-we'll have to rebuild after that. We'll take a census to see who's...s-still with us, then we'll focus on...building our defenses back up."

She launched into all the things that would need to happen. A fresh Royal Guard was to be trained by old Gerson. The Ruins would be opened back up, and wherever the humans came from would be well guarded at all times. Puzzles and traps would be set away from inhabited areas, so less people would be affected or hurt. Crowding wasn't much of a problem anymore, but Alphys had designed some plans on how to maximize the space that they had. All these plans for the future, designing everything down to slight details -- this is what she had been doing since the evacuation. It was her only hope. And as she spoke to the people, it slowly became their hope, too. A new era of peace.

The era of Queen Alphys.

Of course, the lizard woman didn't want to be queen, or even be in charge. She just wanted what needed done to be done, and to protect the innocent. Perhaps that is why she would make a good leader. Despite all this, and despite the atmosphere of fear that the human had created, hope burned; a small seed that just needed a little watering.

As the meeting closed, Alphys breathed a sigh. She could do this. She could protect those who still needed her. She could save the rest. She could give them hope.

The thought filled her with something she didn't quite understand.  
Determination.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Did you really think-" The knife came down suddenly and without warning. Sans felt it rip through his torso, the force of the blow dropping him to the ground. The human's psychopathic smile turned to something closer to a smug grin, though the red of their determination remained in their eyes, glowing even brighter. Sans looked at his wound, then to the human, shocked.

_Pain._  
Real, physical pain.  
That was something he was unaccustomed to.

He coughed, ketchup and determination spilling out of the wound and from between his teeth. Everything hurt. His will to fight was gone. He grasped the injury, trying to keep himself together long enough to give a final warning.

The human stood there silently, watching. "Welp," Sans coughed, "guess that's it, huh?" His voice shook, betraying how much pain he was really in. "Just...don't say I didn't warn you." He knew he couldn't do any more to stop them. He could only hope they reset before they destroyed the timeline.

He struggled to stand. "Welp, I'm goin' to Grillby's," he joked. Even in the face of death, humor had always been his greatest ally. Now it seemed to fall flat. _Maybe that's 'cause this is it,_ he thought as he limped away his own dust spreading behind him. The human watched him go. Sans looked up through one of the windows. It really was a beautiful day, especially when the spirits of his loved ones were coming to take him to be with them. Forever, without fear of resets. "Papyrus," he called, "do you want anything?" He collapsed, more dust spreading underneath him.

He felt two strong, familiar arms lift him, just as they had all those times at his station in Snowdin. A voice spoke, far away, but so close. "Come with me, brother. You've done all you could."

Sans felt himself slipping further into that ethereal world. "Papyrus," he whispered.

"I'm right here, brother." The voice sounded closer.

"I missed you."

 

Sans' dust spread through the Judgement Hall, leaving the human alone, feeling their sins crawling on their back. Yet they continued forwards, anyway.

Determination.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alphys knew something was wrong. Something didn't feel right. Endogeny was pacing, letting out an occasional howl of despair. The other monsters seemed more tense than they had been. The shadows felt closer than they had before. It felt as if the entire underground were holding its breath.

Alphys tapped her claws together nervously. She still wasn't used to people depending on her for all the answers, but she felt as if she had to say _something_ to relax the others.

She didn't get the chance.

A powerful, dark voice from far away spoke instead. "Now. Now we have reached the absolute. There is nothing left for us here. Let us erase this pointless world, and move on to the next." Dead silence. All monsters stared towards where the voice had spoken from. Towards New Home.

The whole world held its breath. Fear radiated from all creatures. No one knew what would happen.

"No...?" the voice asked. Tension dipped slightly. If whoever the voice was speaking to declined in destroying the world, surely they were safe, right? "Hmmm...," The voice mused. "How curious. You must have misunderstood." Something told Alphys that something really bad was about to happen.

"SINCE WHEN WERE YOU THE ONE IN CONTROL?"

A scream went up from the smaller monsters, spreading throughout the entire community. Alphys just stood there, frozen in panic as the voice roared with laughter. Then, without warning, the whoosh of a knife went by. Alphys watched as it cut through the fabric of reality itself, pulling everything into the void. Everything that touched the crack turned to dust.

All monsters but Alphys ran in panic, but she knew it was too late. She breathed deeply. This was the end, but despite that -- despite all the fear and destruction around her, she knew that she would see her friends again, and that thought alone gave her the power to brave the panic.

She was filled with determination.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And with that, humans, monsters, everyone, ceased to exist. But their spirits lived on happily, despite the horrors of their deaths, they lived freely, with no fear.

The human tried to join them, but nothing they did mattered.  
They made their choice long ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finishing this story fills me with DETERMINATION!!
> 
> Not really sure what else to say other than I hope you enjoyed feels trip. Yeah, it's short, I know, but this was mostly a test of my own abilities so I can go on to write bigger and better stuff...like...original stories that get published...and stuff....  
> We'll see how well that goes.


End file.
